"There’s no animosity"- James Anderson on his relationship with Joe Root

Legendary England seamer James Anderson has insisted that no "animosity" exists between him and former Test skipper Joe Root.

Anderson and his partner-in-crime, Stuart Broad, were controversially dropped from the England side for the tour of the Caribbean back in March.

Anderson and Root recently locked horns in the County Championship fixture between Lancashire and Yorkshire, where the veteran seamer knocked over his former skipper in the second innings.

Root publicly criticized his bowlers during the Ashes series last winter. However, Anderson has insisted that the duo still share immense mutual respect, and they even had a chat during their recent face-off.

"We've not fallen out or anything. We chatted [during the game], and I spoke to him before he announced that he was stepping down. So there's still a huge amount of respect between the two of us, and there's no animosity." Anderson said as quoted by the Daily Mail.

Did he have some words to say to Root after dismissing the batsman?

"Absolutely not, no. I didn't need to: just pick the two stumps off the ground," replied Anderson.

However, Anderson did admit that the snub from the Test team left him doubting his commitment.

The Lancashire cricketer admitted that he was left wondering whether he had done something wrong around the group.

"I talked it through with my family, and they saw it as I did – that I feel like I've got more to give to the game," said Anderson.

"I felt like I bowled well in Australia, and I guess you do start questioning other things when that happens: is it something I've done around the group, or whatever else?" he added.

He signed off by stating that he is yet to get an explanation for the reasons behind his axe from the squad for the West Indies tour.

"I've got to try and prove that I'm still good enough to play international cricket and keep my fingers crossed that the selectors and the captain think so as well."

"I think I bowl a good length, but if people want me to bowl fuller, I'll bowl fuller. I find it hard when you've got a certain amount of wickets – I've done that through bowling the right length on the right wicket. I think I've got quite good at that, but obviously, I'm open to suggestions if anyone wants to help." 

Anderson will be back in English colours when the Ben Stokes-led unit squares off against New Zealand at Lord's next month.